I dont say this in many circles, but I am pretty sure I believe this:
God Exists.
God doesnt care.
Let me explain.
Many people view church as the "house of God". It is the place where God stays for an hour or so on sunday. Where we can tell him what we want/need/fear/hope etc. And please don't misundertand- I think that community gatherings are important and beneficial.
It is good to gather with people who have shared interests. And organize to accomplish a goal.
There is, I think, a misunderstanding when it comes to the way Americans view church.
If we continue to view Church as if it were a hospital, where all the sick people needed to line up to get treatment from an effectively trained practitioner for what ails them- we will continue to be disappointed in "God" and ask the wrong questions about the nature of evil and malady in our lives.
This is a deeply flawed model.
This is like going to the Smithsonian and expecting to discover a docent on 19th century warfare in the US- and asking them to solve Race relations between the El Salvadorian gang in one neighborhood and the African American Crips in another (they keep shooting each other).
The docent can surely give you some insight- but they cannot solve the problem.
Sadly, pastors and priests do not have magical powers and all they can do is tell the story of "God". They are anthropologists.
The real practitioners are those who roll up their sleeves and try to heal with their own hands.
In this way Hospitals are Churches.
Schools and Universities are Churches.
Your local PTA can be a Church.
Your local pet adoption center is a Church.
Even your local starbucks is church... But church?
What is church?
If we do not care, god does not care.
If we cannot find the cure- there will be no cure found.
God is not a chemist- god has no lab coat.
God only has one thing in his tool belt- you.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
